Mariko Ukiyo, head of Japan's National Association of Mental Health Professionals and founder of the Shibuya Himawari centre — which has helped more than 1,500 Ukrainians in Japan restore their psychological well-being since 2022 — paid a working visit to Bucha. Her goal: to understand how Ukrainian communities build their mental health support systems.

The details appear in the official statement by the Bucha City Council.

The guest was welcomed by deputy mayor Liudmyla Ryzhenko. The itinerary was packed: the Resilience Centre at the new Centre for Comprehensive Child Development, “happiness lessons” at Bucha Lyceum No. 3, the Veterans' Hub, the primary healthcare centre and the Inclusive Resource Centre.

“I was deeply impressed by how systematically Bucha approaches mental health — from school education to veteran support. It is a holistic approach that builds society's resilience and can serve as an example for other countries,” Mariko Ukiyo concluded.